Fire-alarm-signal-transmitting apparatus



Dec. 29, 1925- 1,567,326

A. LOPER 7 FIRE ALARM SIGNAL TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l- WITN88E8 INVENTOR fl.1.Lo oe7 ,4 TTORNE Y8 A. P. LOPER FIRE ALARM SIGNAL TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Dec. 29, 1925- V 1,567,326

Filed Dec. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 4 fl.1=: Lope? A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

. UNITED "STATES .ALEXANDER PALMER LOPER, OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

FIBE-ALABM-SIGNAL-TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 14, 1921. Serial No. 522,302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LALEXANDER P. Lorne,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stonington, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Alarm- Signal-Transmitting Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v r

This invention relates to a 'fire alarm signal transmitting device, and an object of the invention is to provide-a fire alarm signal transmitting device in which whenevera fire alarm s gnal is sent over a circuit, a wirelessng'nal is also transmitted. Another objeut resides in the provision of means whereby whenever a box i pulled, if the circuit conditions are such that this box cannot transmit its signai over the circuit, then the characteristics of the wireless signals sent out are changed from a normal characteristic to an abnormal characteristic.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby whenever a box is pulled, means is automatically operated to prevent the signals from being transmitted by this box if another box is using the circuit.

A still further object resides in the provision of means whereby a box which has been pulled will not get on to the line as long as the line is being used by another box. The pull box, however, will auto-- matically go on the line just as soon as the box using it has released it.

Another object resides in the provision of means whereby the characteristics of the wireless signals sent vary in character with the condition of the wire circuit, and whereby this variation takes place entirely automatically after the box has once been pulled.

,A further object resides in the provisionof means whereby a given box when pulled will try a pluralityo times to send a signal and will succeed in doing so just as soon as' a line'has been released by a previously pulled box.

A still further object resides in the articular construction and arrangement 0 parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a front view of a fire alarm signal transmitting box.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the rear face of the character wheel.

Fig. 4 is a partial detail elevation of the signal transmitting means when the transmitting lever is being held out of engage ment with the transmitting wheel and the characteristic of the wireless apparatus is being changed to its abnormal condition.

Fig. 5 is a view of the'same parts in the position assumed by them when a signal is being transmitted by the engagement of the transmitting wheel with the transmitting lever and in which the wireless ap paratus is sending out a normal signal.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of the device.

The form of the invention shown in the,

drawings is, of course, a preferred application thereof, but it should be understood that modifications can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1

The fire alarm signal transmitting device shown in the drawings comprises a box or casing l of any suitable design,

adapted to contain the entire apparatus .for the transmission of a given signal.

This box forms part of a circuit, and circuit wires 2 and 3 lead thereinto. As is customary with fire alarm signal tranmitting boxes, a lever 4 is pulled and through the intermediary of a spring mechanism, designated by the numeral 5, and a train of caring, represented by the numerals 6, 8 and 9, a shaft 10 is operated. This shaft as shown carries a-signal transmitting wheel 11, and this wheel, in the form shown, is provided on its peripheral face with a plurality of teeth 12. These teeth are arranged in groups and spaced a art in a manner to represent a given signa The particular form of spring and the particular arrangement of the gearing be tween the spring and the shart 10 is not a matter involving any'detail in this invention since many well known types of boxes are provided with handles which upon being pulled in one direction and then released are adapted to set a spring motor in operation to turn a character wheel through the intermediary of. a train of gears. Other types include boxes in which a spring under tension is released by pulling a trigger.

Y with two offset lateral-surfaces 34 and 35.-

Normally when a signal is being transmit ted, the transmitting wheel 11', through teeth 12, is adapted to cooperate with the transmitting or switching lever 13 which is pivoted at 14 on a bracket plate 15 suitably mounted within the casing 1. Theend of this lever is provided with an insulated head portion 16 which in its oscillatory movement opens and closes a pair of circuit contacts '17 and 18, in the form of spring plates fastened to an insulating plate 19 mounted on the bracket plate 15. From one edge of the lever 13 a stud or shoulder 20 depends, and this shoulder is provided with a tapered face 21 adapted to engage with the tapered edges such as 22 of the teeth 12.

As seen in Fig. 3 there is disposed ad acent the rear face of the transmitting wheel 11 a cam 23 having a cam surface 24 which during a part of its movement engages the shoulder 20. When the cam surface 24. engages the shoulder 20, the transmitting lever 13 is moved to close the contacts 17 and 18.

which. are normally open when the lever is permitted to drop. Also disposed adjacent the rear face of the transmitting wheel 11 is a pin or bar 25 which functions in a manner hereinafter to be described. The relative disposition ofthe cam surfac 24 and the pin 25 is as shown in Fig. 3. The

outer edge of the cam surface 24 extends,

slightl beyond the-outer edge of the teeth ,12as own. v

The circuit contacts 17 and 18, in the form of a spring plate, mentioned are connected respectively to circuit wires 26' and 27. The

wire 27 is connected to a shunt plate 28 and the wire 26 to one end of a magnet coil 29, the other end of which by wire 30 is connected to a shunt plate 31. These two shunt plates 28 and 31 are connected respectively to the terminal circuit wires 3 and 2. These plates 28 and 31 are also adapted to be shunted in the well known manner by a conducting plate 32 carried by a head 33 which is operated, a's'shown in the drawing,

handllever 4, so that whenever the hand lever 4 is moved or pulled, the head '33 and the conducting plate 32 are removed from engagement with the shunt plates 28 and 31. This action results'in placing thema-gnet 29 and the contacts 17 and 18 in series with-the main circuit, the contacts 17 and 18 being closed whenever the mechanism of the box is at rest,because the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 at that time and the cam surface 24 is moving the transmitting 1ever 13 to hold the contacts 17 and 18 in their'closed position; v

. The transmitting lever 13 isalso provided The surface 35 is disposed nearer the trans mitting wheel 11 than the surface 34. Whenever another box is using the line, it

in av fwell-knownmanner by the movement of the menses becomes-necessary to prevent the operative movement of the transmitting lever 13,

even though the lever 4 may have been pulled andthe transmitting character wheel 11 is rotating. To do this it becomes necesmeans is shown in the form of a lever 36,

which we choose to call a locking lever,

which is suitably pivoted on a bracket within the box. One end of this lever is disposed adjacent the transmitting lever 13,

and when moved clockwise is adapted to be" disposed adjacentthe surface 35 to prevent the-'movement of the transmitting lever 13 toward the teeth 12 of the character lever, so that the opening and closing of the contacts l7 and 18 is prevented and the cir-' cuit,.therefore, remains closed. The other end of this lever is provided with an armature 37 adapted to c'o-operate with a pole 38 of the magnet'29.

It can be seen from an examination of the various figures that as the cam surface 24 moves around once..on revolution of the ing this'action the pin'or bar 25 likewise pushes the forward end of the locking lever 36 back into the position shown in Fig. 5,

sothat the end of the locking lever does not lie adjacent the surface 35 but is in line with the surface 34. At this time the other end of the lever 36 and the armature 37 lies closely adjacent the pole 38 of the magnet 29. If at this instant the line is clear, that is, if no other box is using the line, there will be cur rent throughthe magnet 29, and thisc'urrent will. energize the magnet and hold the armature 37, thereby retaining the lever 3'6- in such a osition that when the cam surface 24 re eases the shoulder 20 the transmitting lever 13," under the action of the spring contacts, will be moved intoengagement with the teeth 12. If, however, at the time the locking lever 36 ismoved so that the armature (37 lies adjacent the pole 38, the

'line is being used by another box, then the then releases it, the spring 39, shown particularly in Figs. 1. and 2, will cause the lever instantly upon release to move back into the position shown in Fig. 4, whereby the operative movement or actuation of the lever 13 by the teeth 12 is prevented. It will benoticed thatthis movement of the transmittinglever and the locking lever, respectively, by the cam surface 24 and the pin occurs oncein each rotation of the transmitting wheel 11, so thatan attem'ptis made by the apparatus automatically to test the line at-definite intervals so that as soon as the line is clear a signal can be sent by a given box which has been pulled.

It also constitutes ,part of this invention that mechanism for simultaneously and synchronously sending wireless signals with. the signals over-the metallic circuit should be provided. Ofcourse, the synchronous and simultaneous transmisison of the wire-- mitting character wheel (see. Fig. 2)..

' is evident that if the len I30 less signals is at the same time, although not absolutely necessary. To this end, I hav therefore, though not necessarily, provide that the shaft be extended to receive another transmitting wheel, such as another trans- This character wheel is shown in the draw:

ing asmounted on the shaft'10. Itv maybe separate from the wheel. 11 above mentioned,

but, of course, it was-in the conception of the invention that one wheel 11 could be made broad enough to permit of the actuation of two transmitting levers instead of However, as shown, the trans the one. mitting wheel 40, engages a second transmitting lever 41' which has an insulated head 42 i and a shoulder 43 to engage teeth '44 on the wheel 40. In other words, this transmitting lever operated by the character wheel is substantially identical with the transmitting lever'13previously mentioned. It also engages spring contacts 45' and. 46 similar to contacts 16 andl'l, 'These'contacts are connected in circuit with wires47and 48. Wire 47 connects to a battery 49 and one winding 50 of an induction coil. .The wire 48 leads to a stationary contact. 51 co-operatmg w th a vibrating lever 52, theother end of which is connected by a wire 53 with the other end 7 .of a desired frequency can be establishe In this instance, it is established by reason of thetunin of the various factors in the circuit and a so by reason of the frequency of the vibrator lever; 52. Thislever 52 is pivoted at one end so that normally the full ength of the lever is utilized. It, however, h of the vibrator lever is. changed this wil have a certain effecton the frequencyof vibration of this leven-fand,consequently, will have an effect upon. the characteristic of the wireless energy produced in the system. I ropose nor- .mally to permit the lever to vibrate at its 'ver 36.311 insulating bracket which has a move it into the position shown in .where it abuts the surface 35' of the trans- .fulllength, but at certain conditions its vibration length should be changed, whereby an abormalcharacteristic is produced in the system. .It is desired to transmit this abnormal characteristicor tone whenever the transmitting lever 13 controlling the wire line is locked by the lever 36.

To. affect this object, I, therefore, have provided on the rear end of the locking lelug 61th'ereon' having an insulating button 62. lInth'e position'shown in Fig. 5, this fbutton62, because of the position of the leer, is not in contact with'the vibrating lever 52. When, however, the locking lever 36 assumes the position shown in Fig. 4, the

button 62 engages with the vibrating lever 52'at a point intermediate its length. This engagement results in the operation of a nodal point at this point in the length of 35 the lever and, consequently, th'eefi'ective vi- I brating length thereof is reduced. The particular construction or device on the end of the locking lever 36 whereby an effective engagement of the vibrating lever is brought 90 about, is immaterial, other forms, of course, being. possibly equally eifective.-

Assuming, therefore, that the arts are in the osition shown in Fig. 1, t e circuit throng the magnet 29 and the switch contacts17 and 18 is closed but is shunted by the plate 32. However, when the lever 4 is pulled the spring motor is started and the shaft 10 revolves. When the lever isthus moved, the shunt is disengaged from the plates 28 and 31 and the magnet and switch contacts within the box are placed in series with the main circuit. Immediately after :theshaft 10 commences to rotate, the pin 25 releases the lever 36, and if the main cir 105 cuit is beingused by an other box, the magnet 29 not being ener ized will not hold the end of the lever in t e position shown' in Fig. 1 but will permit the sprin 39 to mitting lever 13 and thereby prevents the further movement of this lever. When the cam 24 and the pin 25 come around again in the rotation of the shaft 10, this actua- 11 tion of the locking lever and the transmitting lver is repeated until such time as the main circuit 1s cleared. When this main circuit is clear, thema et 29 will be energized and hold the locking lever in the posi- 120 tion shown in Fig. 1, so that, referring to' Fig. 5, the transmitting lever can move into engagement with the teeth 12. In the one extreme of the movement of the transmit ting lever, the contacts 17 and 18 are separat- 125 ed and the teeth 12 move the lever to alternately open and close the contacts. During the time that the device is thus sending, the

means for changingthe frequency or tone or characteristic of the wireless system is not 1 tem whereby the characteristic of the transmitting energy is changed, takes place.

Consequently, any box such as described above may be pulled, and if the line is clear Will send not only a normal signal over the wires but a normal Wireless signahbut if the line is not clear, the transmission ofthe wire signal is prevented and the transmission of the Wirelesssignal is abnormal, so that any person receiving such an abnormal signal will recognize it as not a normal. signal and thereby know a box is trying to send over the metallic circuit and cannot, but is sending its signal by Wireless of a different characteristic. It will be observed, also, that after the lever 4 is pulled, the action of the box in either sending signals or refraining from sending signals is entirely automatic but selectively dependent upon the condition of the outside circuit. It is also to be noted that at regular intervals during the operation of the mechanism attempts are made to get in on the line. so that the signal will be transmitted as soon as possible but that this attempt is successistic, means actuated by the movement of,

the first means for actuating the second means, means for locking the first means when the metallic line is being used by another signal apparatus, and means associated with said locking means and moved thereby to vary the characteristic of the wireless signals when the transmission of signals over the metallic line is being arrested. 2. A signal transmitting apparatus which comprises a transmitting lever, means for actuating said lever, .a locking lever for looking said transmitting lever in accordance with the condition of the circuit over which it is adapted to transmit signals, a wireless apparatus to transmit signals of a definite characteristic, means for actuating said wireless apparatus, and means associated with the locking lever to vary the characteristic of the wireless signals when the looking lever is moved to a position to restrain the transmitting lever.

ALEXANDER PALMER 

